Rich Hofmann

DAILY NEWS SPORTS EDITOR

The news has undoubtedly reached Bob and Phil and Les and Domo by now. Friends and competitors, they are at the Super Bowl. They get up very early, like 6 am early, and get on a bus and go to interview one of the teams at their hotel, and then they get on another bus and go to interview the other team at their hotel, and then they get on another bus and go back to the big media center, where they either will write their stories or get into another conveyance and go back to their hotel and write their stories.

Unless, of course, they are looking for Donovan.

The Super Bowl is Donovan McNabb's time. It is where he speaks. It is where he lets you know what weapons he believes he needs. He does all kinds of appearances, some advertising related, some just talking. But it is where the pronouncements come. He drops hints in Philadelphia. He drops bombs at the Big Supe.

And so, Bob and Phil and Les and Domo, I really felt for you on Tuesday night when the press release rattled into my in-box, the press release from ESPN announcing that McNabb would be appearing on their 6 pm SportsCenter for three consecutive nights -- Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.

Three consecutive nights.

I mean, who needs dinner anyway?

The fervent hope is that he does all of the talking about himself on the first night, so that he can get it all out of the way. Or maybe he will make the big noise when he does his inevitable NFL Network appearance. But I hate this for you, fellas. Work all day, Donovan all night -- it can't go on for three straight days, can it?

I've been there. There were the Chunky Soup extravaganzas. There was the feverish attempt that one night -- where the hell was it? -- to obtain a transcript from an ESPN spokesman about some thing or the other that No. 5 said on the air. It has become an incredible pain through the years -- all you do is write Donovan at the Super Bowl, even though he's only been there once as a participant.

And so, Bob and Phil and Les and Domo -- wasn't that a movie title in the '60s? -- I hope you can take at least some satisfaction as you disgustedly thumb through the room service menu. Because you are performing a great service to your public -- when you watch Donovan on television, we don't have to.